


Blooming Love

by Annette56



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, First Love, Flower lenguage, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Neji-centric
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:27:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27036433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annette56/pseuds/Annette56
Summary: “You can do anything you set your mind to my youthful student! If you work hard enough, you can even cradle the sun in your hands!”But Neji had always been a little more realistic than his teacher; he knew he couldn’t cradle the sun in his hands.But he could walk besides Naruto, grasping his hand as the contact of their skin burned where they met, and that was close enough. Or perhaps it was even better than that. Perhaps it was more than enough.One day Naruto gifts Neji a yellow rose, and it changes everything.
Relationships: Hyuuga Neji/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 13
Kudos: 76





	Blooming Love

Chapter 1: Yellow (rose) is for friendship a̶n̶d̶ ̶f̶r̶e̶e̶d̶o̶m̶.

Naruto gifted Neji a potted yellow rose on a bright summer day.

It had been around two weeks after their Chūnin exam fight, neither of them having really seen each other since that event; repairs around the village meant every pair of free hands was needed, whatever for construction or be sent on missions, meaning they hadn’t had a moment to really sit down and talk about their fight. And so the days passed, the temperature rose as flowers bloomed and spring became summer.

Neji, who had been busy starting to take missions again with his team and teacher, had just gotten back to the village and was doing some light exercises with his teammates when the encounter happened. He had sensed the boy coming closer to the spot, and yet, despite knowing this, Tenten was unable to stop the slight jab she gave him with her elbow, her confused features turning into a frown at the arrival of the blond, at which he merely responded with a shrug, not sure of what to make of it either. Lee, oblivious to their exchange, was the last to notice their peer joining them and cheerfully welcomed his new friend. 

Naruto shouted something to him back, looking momentarily up before returning his gaze to the ground as he advanced. All of his concentration seemed to be on the pot in his hands, making sure not to trip over anything. The gift seemed massive when carried by the short boy, his thin arms shaking from time to time as he changed weight from one leg to the other, walking slowly to their position. Once he found himself mere feet away from them, a soft, awkward chuckle left his mouth when he noticed their confused, expecting faces and only stated “It’s a gift, for Neji”.

Whatever explanation Neji had been waiting for the boy’s sudden appearance, it had certainly not been that one. Next to him, he could hear and _feel_ Lee’s excited shout, sputtering sentence after sentence about youth and friendship and honor and Neji had long ago mastered the art of tuning out whatever absurd proclamations the boy had learned from their flamboyant teacher. Tenten on his other side had simply raised her eyebrows, giving him a side glance as she tried to gauge his reaction. 

And Neji, well he had tried his hardest to not let his eyes widen. Nothing had taken him by surprise in years (aside from their fight, so Neji really shouldn’t be that surprised that the blond managed to do this to him again), and while this was a situation he never thought he would find himself in, as a Hyūga he would deal with it adequately. He knew what he was supposed to do, accept the gift, express his thanks and give an appropriate praise to the gift in question. But he didn’t.

Neji couldn’t explain why. He just stared at the image before him not believing it to be real. But it wasn’t any type of illusion, he would have surely seen right through it. It also wasn’t any type of flattery to his family, for Naruto didn’t care for the prestige of the clans, he barely knew of them and how they worked, nor was he interested in being in the good favor of the Hyūga. What was it then? What was he hoping to achieve with a present?

He had always regarded Naruto’s face to be an open book; for some reason the teachings of the ninja world and years of academy training could never get rid of the honest response the boy always gave. And as seconds passed with no response, his whiskered face reflected all of the worry he was starting to feel, his eyes slowly went wide with worry, his cheeks coloring pink from embarrassment and on his temple a small drop of sweat fell towards the side of his neck. Other people might miss some of these signs, but the experienced eyes of the byakugan user catched it all without needing to activate his clan blood limit. He was always watching, always observing from the sidelines. 

The seconds were still passing, Lee’s rambling had ended, and he now stared at Neji with some confusion at the lack of response from the always good mannered boy. Tenten was giving him a look of reprimand for making the youngest wait so long, clearly ready to jab at him with more strength even if Neji could easily avoid it without needing to look in her direction. But before he could open his mouth to give a generic, adequate sentiment of gratitude, Naruto opened his mouth first and started rambling.

“Ino helped me pick it” he confessed as the flush on his cheeks became more obvious to all three of them “She said they meant friendship in flower language and…” his blue eyes met the lavender ones without pupils, and his arms started shaking more furiously. Neji stepped forward and quickly relieved him of the charge, carefully holding the pot with the small bush to his chest. “Uh…yeah, thanks, they are, you know, I mean-“ whatever sentence he was trying to express, he abruptly changed topic, rubbing the back of his neck nervously as he picked up the speed at which he spoke “Did you know there’s an entire language of flowers? Man I didn’t, I had no idea! I was just going to pick a random one and- but Ino was in the shop, her family owns it, and she was saying all this stuff about flowers and meanings and asked me what I wanted to con-conv- SAY and-“ his voice had gradually gone louder as he struggled to finish his sentences and then, very abruptly, he went soft and quiet, barely audible as he awkwardly ended his ramble“…yeah, you know, no hard feelings for the fight and all that, ‘hope we can become friends, that’s all.” 

Friends.

Naruto wanted to pursue a friendship with him.

Huh.

“Whoa Naruto! That’s so kind of you!” exclaimed Tenten with too much energy, finally giving him that jab with her elbow, hitting Neji on the side of his torso as Lee opened his mouth to follow Tenten’s example and compliment the blond. 

“It’s…” he started before realizing he had opened his mouth with no idea of what to say “It’s very thoughtful of you Naruto, it’s very beautiful” said boy who had been glaring at him nervously broke into a giant smile that filled his face with joy and made Neji feel even more embarrassed of how he was handling the situation thus far “I am very honored to receive such a beautiful gift, and…offer” He finished unsure to what else to say, not having spent that much time around the other boy and therefore finding himself lacking in how to interact with him.

But Naruto seemed content enough with his words, his smile growing even larger (how was that even possible? Neji couldn’t understand it even as the phenomenon happened before his very own eyes), so they must have been the correct thing to say.

“Don’t even mention it! I just thought it would lighten that stuck up grim expression you always have, you know!” He laughed, delighted at the response his statement prompted from Neji, and as quickly as he could, he turned around and ran away, saying a fast goodbye while he crossed the path he had just arrived from, leaving an embarrassed Neji speechless, the tips of his ears swiftly turning red as well as an unknown warm feeling started to expand through his chest. 

It was not the usual embarrassment one would normally feel after hearing such an improper thing, nor was it the first time Neji had felt like this, but he was still unsure of what to make of it; it wasn’t bad, per say, just unusual, a strange feeling that was oddly, somehow comforting, as if a small flame had been ignited inside of him. Whatever it was, it made his heart beat so fast, it left Neji as breathless as he was speechless. And with the intense need to hit Naruto. Hard.

He also wanted to do more than just say what was expected of him, call Naruto to come back and give him a more sincere gratitude, it certainly meant a lot to him in the aftermath of their confrontation to see the boy remaining so friendly to him. It inspired Neji to be closer to his true self too, and perhaps extend his hand as a sign of comradeship,

But Lord Hiashi's words, from a very distant time, resonated on the back of his head. Words that they established that they were not to have any contact with Naruto Uzumaki and stay away from him every time it was possible; “The boy is nothing but trouble; I won't have anyone carrying our ancestral family name associating with him” his word had always been law, and he had made it very clear the youngest of the secondary branch where to obey as well (but he knew Lady Hinata had disobeyed these words quite regularly, what would her father say if he knew?; but those were traitorous thoughts -wishing ill to his clan future leader- and those weren't allowed)

It had been years and certainly he knew after the exam that they most likely didn't still hold up, now he and Naruto shared some sort of connection, an unspoken pact that was created day, one of future defiance and forbidden desires; surely those words no longer carried the splicit order they had back then, surely it was okay for him to initiate contact with the other boy...

But Neji didn't extend his hand, or call Naruto's name before he was outside his range, Neji just watched imprisoned as he disappeared amongst the trees and then turned his face to the gift he carried.

Of course though, his teammates completely hated him and enjoyed seeing him suffer, and thus they did not give Neji enough time to collect his thoughts and return to his normal, composed self now that they had ammunition to break down his stoic façade, as they had been trying to do since they first became a team.

And of course, it had to be Tenten who threw the first stone at him. “Oooh Neji!” she teased, a knowing glint on her eyes, as she turned towards him as soon as Naruto was far away enough to not hear them “I didn’t know you had a suitor!”

“OH? TENTEN! Are you perhaps suggesting that Naruto wants to become Neji’s rival too?” chimed in Lee, his face as open as always, showing all the excitement he felt at the prospect of him and Naruto competing together against Neji to better and prove themselves.

“No…I was thinking more of the romantic pursuit…” _Tenten shut up, please someone stop her_ “Unless you are also interested in Neji and therefore Naruto would become your love rival!” she finished, greatly pleased with herself as she succeeded in making Neji’s cheeks redden even more.

It didn’t take much more for his mind to start wandering, his eyes lingering in the spot where Naruto had stood, and it surprised him how unguarded he was at that moment, feeling too many emotions at once and being unable to adequately process them and compartmentalize them, putting them in mental boxes and filing them away where they wouldn’t get in the way, wouldn’t make him feel vulnerable, and worse of all, make him want more of it. What kind of strange addiction was he starting to develop?

It was all Naruto's fault, but he couldn’t get rid of him…couldn’t he? No, he couldn’t, Naruto had just kicked his ass mere weeks ago, and more importantly, he wouldn’t, they had just now become officially friends. How was Neji going to be able to handle interacting with him in the future if these feelings keep appearing? Why did Naruto cause such responses in him?

When Neji finally came back to himself, he noticed that Lee was in the middle of explaining his very serious and important, very non romantic and strictly platonic rivalry with Neji when suddenly, exceptionally strong arms surrounded all three of them, pulling them closer to each other as Gai gave them one of his signature bear crushing hugs. 

“I’M SO PROUD OF YOU NEJI!” his deep voice resonated through the forest, scaring some wildlife that ran away in a panic. “IT FILLS ME WITH SO MUCH JOY SEEING YOU MAKING FRIENDS! ESPECIALLY WITH YOUR OPPONENT! SUCH DISPLAY OF YOUTH LIGHTS UP MY WILL OF FIRE BEYOND WORDS!” He gave them one final squeeze before letting them go and they fell graciously, each on their own style, used to the antics of their mentor.

Lee raised one fist, happily matching Gai’s energy, Tenten scoffed and pretended she didn’t like them when they were like this, but secretly loved their raw and honest display of emotions, something she couldn’t find anywhere else in her life. And Neji just stood beside them, clutching to the pot that was still in his embrace, trying desperately to hide his embarrassment behind the vibrant plant.

He wasn’t used to being singularly praised like this, at least not for an achievement that didn’t involve fighting or his clan’s blood limit, if getting along with someone outside his genin team could be considered an achievement. His teacher certainly thought so, and was making a big deal out of it. And, if Neji wasn’t so used to ignoring his own feelings, perhaps he would had conceded that having Naruto wanting to be his friend did feel like a breath of fresh air had entered his life, although, it felt more like a small trace of sunlight peeking through the clouds, turning the rests of what had been their exam fight –the biggest storm Neji had ever faced since receiving his mark and the passing of his father- into a bright, multicolored rainbow.

It felt as if, despite the battlefield they had clashed in, everything was going to be alright, a new start was about to begin. How appropriate then, that their fight had taken place near the end of spring, as if their friendship was the last late bloom that the world was waiting for before changing season.

Still, the praise brought another unusual sensation that Neji was more than happy to welcome with open arms, soaking in the feeling of being rewarded by an adult who expressed so much joy at his progress. In his clan, every compliment he would get was either backhanded, filled with reproach to someone else (“ _to think your cousin is miles ahead of you, the future heir”)_ or tinted by the bitter undertone that his gifts were being wasted in a member of the branch family. 

Gai and Lee had gotten distracted, communicating loudly their many emotions to the world in a way that connected them as kindred spirits, and Neji thought, for one second, that this embarrassing situation was finally over, when he made the mistake of locking eyes with Tenten. She gave him a wide smirk, full of mischievous intent before darting her eyes between the rose bush and the direction where Naruto had disappeared, her eyebrows rising a few times in a teasing manner. Neji groaned internally, a hole in his perfect, emotionless defense had been found. He could already feel the weeks of endless assault he was going to receive from her. Lee, blessed be him, was too innocent and noble to partake in such childish games like this one. 

Being let go earlier of his training, Neji didn’t thought twice before getting as far away as he could of them, barely bothering to give a quick explanation –an excuse- of needing to put the pot on his home before disappearing, going towards his house without paying too much attention on what surrounded him, a first time event, but then again, today seemed to be filled with those. Once he found himself secluded by the four walls that made his room _h̶i̶s̶ ̶p̶r̶i̶s̶o̶n̶_ he realized he had no idea on where to actually put the gift.

He turned his gaze to the plant in his hands, giving it a proper look now that he was alone and could safely grant it his entire attention. The flower was so colorful, so vibrant and unapologetic in its existence, much like the boy who had gifted it to him. The unfamiliar feeling on his body still remained; Neji had carried it all the way to the Hyūga household ̶ _n̶o̶t̶ ̶h̶o̶m̶e̶ ̶n̶e̶v̶e̶r̶ ̶h̶o̶m̶e̶_ just like he had carried the flower. And every time Neji looked at the bright yellow color, he could feel that echoes of that small flame that had burned so brightly inside of him.

It had comforted him, as all fires did, but it had also made him feel uneasy, not used to the things that brought from the dark into the light, laying them bare in Neji’s core for him to see, as plain as day that they were there. His thoughts mixed and turned to the start of all of this, when these new, unnecessary, found feelings towards Naruto had started. It was the end of springtime, but some seeds were still finding a way to be sowed, just like their bond found a way to be born amidst the adversity.

**. . .**

“One day I’m going to be Hokage! And then I’ll change things! You better believe it!” where the words he used to say, and everyone knew these words; spent enough seconds around the vicinity of where Naruto Uzumaki was and you would hear them. Even before he met the boy for the first time he knew of his childish desire to become the next leader of the village, as if someone like him who just screamed and demanded to be respected could ever achieve such a thing. Neji loathed him. He was just like Lee, no, he was even worse than Lee. Lee at least had worked towards achieving his goals, as futile as his attempts were. What did Naruto ever do, if not expecting things to improve just because he wished for it? How more selfish and thoughtless could he be? Couldn’t he see, if wishing was all it took, he wouldn’t have to hide his forehead from the world or any trace of autonomy from the all-seeing eyes of his clan, and even his own emotions from himself?

Time had proved him wrong of course, and the usual declarations of the young blond had expanded from their usual, repetitive self to a broader, even more daring proclamation. He had gone from a simple wish of being acknowledged to an even more compassionate one, wanting to avoid someone else to grow up like he did, Having been exposed to all sorts of sorrows in the past months, his heart was now aching with the foundations of a new life mission.

“I’m going to make sure no one grows up like we did, believe it” he claimed with the most serious tone anyone had ever heard from the boy, and Neji still remembered clearly the way his chest had constructed the first time he heard him say it. How could he forget it? It had happened after Naruto had shouted in their first fight his intentions of ending the Hyūga’s ancestral family division.

An unknown feeling had begun to spread across his stomach, unpleasant and new; his throat was hurting and his nails were digging hard into the flesh of his own palms, and Neji didn’t know what to do, for he had used those same hands to close off the boy’s chakra pathways, and yet, there he was, standing before him, strange yet powerful chakra coming from him in waves that Neji was sure he shouldn’t be able to physically _feel_ but he did, and it felt so overwhelming and mortifying, he wasn’t scared that it would throw him to the ground but rather completely annihilate him.

And it should have been impossible; there was no conceivable way this could be happening, for Naruto to still be able to use chakra, as strange as this one was, in the fight. But somehow, he had found a way to produce this energy that kept pouring out of him with no seeable end, found a way to mold and bend and use chakra. And just as unlikely, the boy seemed to also _**care**._

This was probably the worst offense of the two miraculous feats. No one cared for what happened to him (what did the village do when a caged bird seal was put into a four year old boy?), no one cared about his feelings (did his clan ever ask him if he wanted to lay his life in service of the main family?). No one cared for him (did they even consider him a person anymore? had that too been stripped away from him?), no one cared if he ever dreamed or had goals or wanted to do anything, no one cared he was unable to escape the endless nightmares that didn’t confine themselves to the night, for the darkness followed him everywhere.

No, not even Hinata, the sweet younger cousin he had once cherished like a sister cared. If she had, why did he still serve her? No matter the pitiful looks she throws his way when no one was watching, the fake hurt and longing on those lilac pools wouldn’t fool him.

The only time Neji had felt someone cared about him (loved him) was when he still had his father with him. But he had been a fool, just like Naruto is now, and he had cared too much (for a family that didn’t care for him at all), he had cared so much he even dared to think, to wish for his only son to not share this cursed fate, but they know it all, see it all, and they had taken his father from him. They took him just like they took everything from Neji (his freedom, his individualism, his dreams), everything he cared about, and everything he ever wanted or ever could want for, until he didn’t want anything anymore. They took and they took and-

“I’m going to make sure no one grows up like we did” _us_ , he had said. Naruto and Neji. Neji and Naruto. Two outcasts marked by the cruelest of fates from pretty much birth. Abandoned by their own village, the one that had sworn to protect every child of theirs, for they were the future, but it seemed they had forgotten Naruto and Neji were part of that future too. That they too one day would grow up, or did they just not consider any of the two children? People? Worthy of protection? Worthy of anything?

Instead they had just turned a blind eye to their abuse, their pain, their loneliness. But now here Naruto stood all reckless behavior and loud personality, with big dreams and blue eyes, so bright you could never see the sadness they hide behind. But Neji saw it all.

He was here in front of him, and he had said, he _claimed_ he cared, and he promised, he SHOUTED in the face of his clan leader his dangerous intentions, and now with all of this strange chakra filling the arena Neji could almost believe, for a moment, that this short boy with scraped knees and untamed hair and blinding smile, could become Hokage and destroy the Hyūga s̶y̶s̶t̶e̶m̶ with his powerful, devastating chakra, and he would do it because he promised and he cared and-

**NO**. No. No no no he could not believe it. To believe such traitorous things about his clan-

And Naruto _could not_ care, no one ever did. And Neji wasn’t allowed to want things. But want he did. He wanted Naruto to care _(for him)_ and fulfill his promise and set him free so he could-

No. He could not bring himself to care now, to hope for, because his father had cared and they took him from him, and they would take Naruto too, that’s all they ever do; the members of his family, the village, the ninja system, life itself and even the universe at large, all of them took things away with their sharp claws and unforgiving, lifeless cold eyes, the eyes without pupils that plagued his nightmares and stared back at him in every reflection he saw himself in…

Naruto cared and wanted to free him from this destiny but Neji was just a caged bird, he wasn’t meant to want things for himself, wasn’t allowed to dream of the world outside the eyes that prisoned him, of a life beyond his cage and how could he ever trust him when-

Naruto’s punch was as world-shattering as his chakra, and Neji hadn’t lost a fight in so long he could not remember the last time it had happened. He (̶w̶a̶s̶) lost. And Naruto won, and Naruto _cared,_ and Neji remained on the floor, trying desperately to pretend that the pain he felt was on his chin where the hit had landed, that it was on his face and not on his chest where his heart was beating fast, not on his stomach which was turning and cramping, not on his throat that was closing and making it impossible to breathe.

Because Naruto cared, he cared and it hurt. It hurt so much, for no one had cared in so long but Neji _could_ remember the last time it had happened, as they took his father away and it had hurt so much that pain was all it remained from him, and now Naruto cared and they would take him away too and it hurt just to think about it and-

“Stop whining about fate and how it can’t be changed and all that crap all the time. ‘Cause you are not a failure like me. And if I’m going to become Hokage, then you can become anything you want. Believe it!”

And Neji closed his eyes, fighting the tears that threatened to fall, and did just that. He believed (in) him. 

**. . .**

Being friends with Naruto meant he now liked the boy, and liking him meant spending time with him. And spending time with him meant he started to notice. The whispers, the atmosphere changes, the stares.

Well, that wasn’t entirely correct. He had always noticed the stares; everyone in the village had too, and brushed it off to the side because everyone could tell very easily that Naruto wasn't well liked. He didn't use to care was the actual truth. He just dismissed it because the blond was loud and a little vulgar to his tastes, not to mention an infamous prankster. He, as most likely all kids in the village, had been warned about being in close proximity with the troublemaker.

But the village doesn't give the same treatment to Inuzuka boy who was just as bad mouthed and troublemaker as Naruto. Not even his teacher who was considered weird and flamboyant received as many stares (but Neji could always hear the jokes being told at his teacher’s expense, making him clutch his hands into fists and wishing he could silence them all; perhaps Gai was, _unorthodox_ , but he was one of the greatest ninjas on the village).

And it made no sense; it was a constant of which Neji couldn't remember a before; had they always looked at Naruto like that? Why did they harbor so much hate towards a child? (and, the part of himself that still wished he could believe in, wanted to ask how, how they could do it; but he didn't live in fairy tales his cousin still read, he knew how the world worked, what kept it spinning, pain and hate were the air they breathed every day, and his childhood had long ago ended, all the innocence burned away as he got branded).

But he **cared** now, and he couldn't stop thinking about it. He wasn't the only one who was bothered by it either, if the threatening gestures Sakura Haruno gave the villagers was anything to go by; even his other teammate, the last Uchiha would send glaring looks over his shoulder when he caught someone whispering dishonorable things about the child.

He found himself thinking about it through his daily activities, during training, during clan lessons, and especially at night when all he wanted was to rest; it kept going on and on for days, his mind running in circles around the question of why, why, why until it started to drive him a little mad, this mystery, this giant riddle right in the center of who Naruto Uzumaki was. Could it be connected to that sinister chakra he had felt? Or the presence he refused to think about. It had to had been his mind playing tricks on him, there was no way-

_“How could you ever understand what it's like to be cursed with a permanent burden?”_

_“I understand you know. So, **what about it**?”_

He needed to ask Naruto about it

**. . .**

He tries to ask. It goes terribly.

To be fair, it wasn’t all terrible. Nor did it start bad; turns out Naruto is very easy going when promised food. Neji politely asks him out one evening they both free, telling him he feels in debt after everything Naruto has done for him, and well, that isn’t really a lie.

Naruto quickly suggests they go to the best ramen place in the village, no, the entire ninja world, and so Neji finds himself walking behind a bright Naruto that sings while taking him to this “Ichiraku Ramen” place he is so fond of.

The place was rather small, but that meant they had a lot of privacy, which was ideal for the sort of questioning Neji had in mind. The people there were homely, both owner and daughter had welcomed Naruto with open arms and huge smiles, and they seemed content with the blond bringing a new face around, “You’ve been doing that a lot lately, I can’t barely keep track of all of them Naru!” said the girl as she messed up a blushing Naruto’s hair. Despite the jab, she was genuinely happy for him; it was about time the other children started to notice how good their kid really was.

The food was excellent. It filled his insides with warm and a sensation of nostalgia of something he couldn’t quite place. He had ordered the same as Naruto, which turned out to be one of the spiciest plates on the menu. He was pleased to find out he rather loved the flavor, and Naruto seemed even more excited because of this. Was it because they had now something in common? It was a likely theory.

After he finished his own serving, he glanced around and noted the whole area was deserted except for the owner who was cleaning some things, his daughter had one out to do some chore and there were no other customers, they were as alone as they could be, this was the moment and he knew it.

_“I understand you know.”_

But how? he wanted to ask, how do you understand? How could you ever possibly say that Naruto? He looked at the boy who was in his fourth or fifth ramen bowl (Neji should have seen that coming, the huge appetite, it fit with the rest of the puzzle that was Naruto) and he looked just like any other boy, barely older than a child (Or perhaps still a child? Were any of them children anymore?), but maybe that’s what Neji too looked like to other people. Or, for all he knew, he didn't look like a child in the eyes of anyone His eyes focused once more on the boy besides him, these eyes of his that missed nothing, and he had to suppress the thought that formed in his head. Naruto, when quiet or, like he was at the moment, occupied, could look very…adorable. His whole concentration was on the bowl before him, quickly emptying it, and his cheeks were stuffed with food, just like a squirrel. It made the markings on them stand out more.

He was curious about them too. Nobody really knew, or talked about them. No one shared a made up story, some legend passed down between recesses and classes. Neji guessed they had just assumed the blond had gotten the scars when he was a child, for Naruto has had them forever. But were they scars? Looking at them so closely, he was unsure. They kind of looked like tattoos, like the Akimichi clan possessed in their cheeks. But Naruto wasn’t part of any clan, so who would ever do that to him?

Were they part of the answer too? The one he had been obsessing over for weeks, ever since the words were spoken, the revelation, the understanding between them. How? How could you understand?

He needed to ask. He just had to raise his voice and let the words out. They were alone, and they were supposed to be friends now, right? Right!?

But he couldn’t. No matter how much he tried to open his mouth, the words were stuck in his mind, his voice in his throat, refusing to be heard, to make noise. The memory of that day still haunted him, the impossibility of Naruto’s victory, the unnatural glint in his eyes, the supernatural chakra that he had suddenly unleashed and that disappeared the moment the fight was over…

Where had it come from?

…A cursed fate…

Could it be?

Naruto knew. He had to know what made him different, what made the elders stare and scoff and whisper and change paths if they came across him on the streets, as if they were disgusted by his mere existence or just wished to avoid him at all cost. How could he have ever been so blind to all of it? How could he have not **cared**?

In some twisted way, it reminded him of the emotionless eyes that always followed him in his nightmares (h̶i̶s̶ ̶l̶i̶f̶e̶) (w̶a̶s̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶r̶e̶a̶l̶l̶y̶ ̶a̶ ̶n̶i̶g̶h̶t̶m̶a̶r̶e̶ ̶i̶f̶ ̶h̶e̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶ ̶a̶w̶a̶k̶e̶?), indifferent to his pain, to his cries for help, to his ever growing anger, the loud crack of his chains as he tried to break free. How funny it was, that it was now him who saw himself in the other boy. How silly it must have been for Naruto from the very beginning, to be cursed and act (live) like that should (does) stop you. Did Neji seem pathetic in his eyes? Somehow he doubted the blond was capable of such emotion. If it was the other way around, Naruto would probably ask any question as soon as it popped in his head, like he had shown he always did. Neji should follow his (probably bad) example, and just do it.

But he couldn’t ask. His throat closed more and more as every second passed, the words were now stuck inside him forever, and the intention died down. Silence continued his course between them, solid as a wall that divided them. If only he could speak up and reach out to him…but the more Neji waited, the farther away Naruto seemed to be. How strange, to be sitting next to someone and yet feel them a mile away.

Perhaps Naruto had always been outside his reach; perhaps he was outside what he could have in his life. He had been a fool to think otherwise, to pretend otherwise. To fill himself with false hope when he was getting used to the bitterness of his destiny and-

The sound of Naruto slurping the last noodle broke the silence (and the chain of spiral going on his mind); he seemed to be finally full, a satisfied expression on his face , and when he asked if there was something else Neji needed, the Hyuga shook his head, paid for the food and returned to his house without answers, feeling loonier than ever. 

Not for the last time in his life, Neji damned and cursed on his head at the chains that still held him down.

**. . .**

Neji stops on his tracks once his eyes came across the still figure of Shikamaru, heir of the Nara clan lazily lying under the shadow of an old tree, his breath slow and his eyes closed, giving the appearance of being asleep to the unobservant eye, but Neji could see through the pretense, the unguarded demeanor, the uncaring appearance hiding the strategic mind. It reminded him vaguely of Gai’s “eternal rival” who looked like a wet cat on a good day and like he couldn’t care less about the things going on around him. His lavender eyes travelled up and down the body on the ground as he planned for his next move; surely it wasn’t proper of him to just interrupt a clan heir’s private activities, no matter how trivial they seemed.

“Yo! You joining or what?” The Nara boy called, his lack of honorifics and formal speech while talking to a stranger would have been received as rude had it come from someone else, but Neji couldn’t help but feel that it was a defensive mechanism, just like Naruto’s loud behavior and confident stance. Perhaps the Nara heir felt nervous in Neji’s presence? Maybe it was because of his blood limit, or the fact that Neji had disturbed his peace.

Peace, what a foreign state of being. Sure he knew how to be silent and still, and how to meditate, but he could never find peace in the life fate had given him. 

He was intrigued by this boy whom he had never exchanged words with, this boy who seemed to find peace as easily as just lying around, and wished to change it immediately; after all, Shikamaru Nara had been the only one promoted to the rank of Chūnin. And even if Neji had missed his fight, he had heard a great deal about it from Tenten, who had been paying a lot of attention to the match (although it seemed she had been rooting for the blonde girl from the sand rather than her village peer). The tactical intellect the young heir seemed to possess (wasn’t that a family trait?) was very impressive, but Neji found himself drawn to the outcome of the fight, to the fact that he had given up, just because he was too tired (too lazy?) to keep fighting after running out of chakra. Did he really not care about the exam? Or did he know he was going to pass anyway?

All in all, he was lured to the idea of understanding this young genius better (and the fact that Naruto seemed to be very attached to him had nothing to do with it). And besides, his own clan would certainly have a lot to say about the most talented young member associating with a boy that seemed to spend his free time lying in the open, not caring how anyone could find him in this state; and these days that was enough to push him to try new things, now that Lord Hiashi was quiet, and turning a blind eye to his nephew’s ever changing lifestyle. 

“I’m staying” he finally answered, his voice firm and decisive until Shikamaru’s eyes opened in momentarily surprise “I-If that’s acceptable” he added, watching as the younger boy regained control of his face and relaxed his expression. 

In the end, he merely closed his eyes again and shrugged; conformed with the gesture, Neji stepped closer and sat on grass, about a meter away from him. His legs flexed on instinct, knees up closer to his chest as he waited, unsure of how to proceed next.

He had never talked to his peers outside of his clan or his teammates, avoiding making friends through his childhood after being branded with the curse mark, and only interacting with them when absolutely necessary. His cocky front had been demolished by a barely 90 pounds noisy blond with an infinite chakra reserve.

How did people start a conversation? How did they continue it? What did the youth talk about together? They weren’t in the academy anymore and besides Neji was a year older. Was the weather an acceptable topic? Was it worthy of being commented on? How about comparing their teachers? He was kind of curious about that one, certainly not all of them could be like Gai or his rival…Clan affairs were definitely off limits, and-

“You are doing it wrong you know” came from his right. Neji glanced at him, finding himself spooked; but the other boy wasn’t looking at him, his eyes remained closed as he continued “You are too tense, I can feel you thinking from all the way over here, it’s kind of a drag, just relax would ya’?” his voice had grown in intensity as he finished; he grimaced and clapped shut his mouth, and Neji had the hunch that the Nara boy probably regretted something he said…or perhaps the words he had chosen.

But the other didn’t say anything more, and after staring at his face for a few seconds, Neji looked to the front and slowly stretched his legs, then he lowered his back until the back his head touched the ground, lying in the same position as the Nara, the only difference being the other had his arms behind his head in an open display of seemed defenseless, while Neji’s rested at his sides, unsure of what to do with them. After a moment, he decided to intertwine his fingers on top of his stomach.

His eyes however, his biggest weapon, his biggest tool, his biggest pride and curse struggled for a minute before being able to close and remain in that state. His eyelids fluttered in a few instances, his eyelashes leaving butterfly kisses on his own cheeks. It was a strange sensation, but not an unwelcome one. It seemed like he had been experiencing a lot of those lately. 

Who knew that one could feel such things if you opened yourself; he had never known, the gain that came from being vulnerable. Had he always been so scared for nothing? Could he truly claim such emotions as his own?

Here, lying down on the grass on the outskirts of a meadow, muscles relaxed and body still, he could hear so much; the song of a bird not too far away, the rustling of the breeze against the leaves above them. He noticed the sound of cicadas all around them, and wondered if he had heard that before finding Nara, while he was strolling around lost in his own thoughts.

Nature invaded his other senses too, the ground seemed more solid under him, and the range of smells that he could perceive now was overwhelming, so many different flowers had bloomed with the summer around the village, why was it only now coming to his attention?

Maybe it was because for the first time he wasn’t relaying on his vision; these eyes that were a gift and a curse, that allowed him to note every detail, and see so far away were now close, and yet he knew so much of what was going around him, he was aware of his surroundings without needing to look; what a magical experience, not having to rely on them. What else could he do without them? Could he win a fight without activating his blood limit? Having a blindfold on? Perhaps Lee would be up to help him practice, and they could have a pure taijutsu encounter. It would make Gai very proud.

But that was thought for another time, because he was here now, lying under a tree with a boy he just met and yet had seen around the village since they were both toddlers, a boy that was free and could just lie around enjoying life and being here, by his side, he felt the illusion of being free too.

It hit him in that moment, like a punch in the gut, knocking the air out of his system; it was too quiet.

He could hear the bird and the cicadas and even the wind passing through the leaves because he couldn’t hear the sound of his own chains, the ones that always held him, that ringer in his ears every time he moved, every time he activated his blood limit, every time he had dangerous thoughts or got some imprudent idea on his head, it was like a warning, to remind himself of his limits before his forehead started to burn and hurt and drowned him in pain.

But he couldn’t hear them now. Was it because he was lying still? He couldn’t remember the last time he had perfumed an activity such as this one; if that was the case, would he hear that awful noise if he moved again?

He opened his eyes and stared at his hands, his fingers still locked with his each other. The intention to raise one of them in the air was trapped in his mind, for he was too scared now to perform the experiment. Too scared that now that he had found this moment for himself, he was going to ruin it and- 

A quick hand fell onto his. The slapping sound as their skin met echoed through the meadow for a few seconds, he had been so absorbed in his contemplation that he hadn’t even seen the hand approaching. He hadn’t seen it coming. How more unusual was this day going to get?

He moved his head to the right and locked his eyes with Shikamaru’s dark orbs, the boy was staring right back at him with an unreadable expression adorning his features. “Just, stop, thinking so much” was all the explanation he gave.

Before Neji could really process what he was doing, his mouth opened and the reply came out “Look who is talking about thinking too much” Had that been a jab at the other boy? Had he really just said those words? Neji quickly placed a hand over his lips but it was too late, the words had already left his mouth. Shikamaru’s eyes widened, the disbelief written all over his face. 

Both of them stared at each other for what it felt like an eternity, until suddenly, the surrealness of the situation hit them, and the sound of their combined laughed broke the silence, coming from deep inside them and making their bodies shake and wobble down, clutching at their stomachs as the moment stretched on and on until all the laughing started to hurt. 

“My apologies” Neji tried to regain his formal tone between some of the giggles that still lasted “I’m very ashamed, I’m afraid I don’t know where that came from” he finished giving the other an apologetic smile.

“Please, that was amazing!” He smiled brightly, and suddenly he didn’t look like a stranger, or the genius strategist, he looked like a 12 year old boy who was having fun. “Unexpected, and totally amazing” he sat upright, his body facing Neji as he extended his hand to formally introduce himself “Shikamaru Nara”.

Neji copied him and gladly shook his hand “Neji Hyūga”. 

From that point on the rest of the afternoon happened in a blur, the two boys talked for hours about everything and nothing at all, comparing their experiences growing up and on their Chūnin exams, their favourite subjects on their academy days and even about shogi strategies. Neji told him stories about some of his missions and Shikamaru seemed genuinely interested in his team and the year of experience they had on the rest of the Konoha teams.

They only made a pause when a new figure approached their location, a larger boy with tattooed chubby cheeks and a bunch of snacks on his hands that he offered them and both boys politely declined, too excited to get back to their exchange. His name was Chōji Akimichi, Shikamaru’s best friend since they had memories; it was a clan tradition thing they had explained, and he fitted himself next to Shikamaru like he belonged by his side and had been missing all this time. Even as Shikamaru and Neji continued to do most of the talking, the new boy didn’t seem to be out of place or interrupting, eating some of his snacks cheerfully and listening to Shikamaru’s comments with a fond expression on his face. Even if they hadn’t said it out loud, Neji would have gotten the impression that they had been friends for a very long time, they seemed to fit like puzzle pieces, respecting each other's spaces and having a very deep understanding of the other. He would notice small gestures, like Shikamaru already opening a new bag for Chōji without looking when he was about to finish his current one, or Chōji chipping in to remind Shikamaru of a detail he had forgotten, he seemed to have a great memory for people.

Neji found himself yearning for something like that. The faces of Tenten and Rock Lee appeared on his mind, and he compromised to seek them out; he didn’t know exactly how to or where to start, but it was definitely time to start opening himself to the people that were trying to have his back as he had theirs. Opening himself to these new experiences and new emotions that could belong to him. That maybe should belong to him.

Because while listening to a story shared by the other two boys, their laugh resonating as one as the silly memory of simpler times, he realized it was other people that made him forget his supposed destiny; made him see through the bars of his cage, made the sound of the chains so distant and far away he couldn’t even hear it, not over the sound of their happiness.

A yellow rose and eyes the color of the sky flashed through his mind too, and a new yearning grew on his heart, as he wondered how much more could that loud individual bury the sound of chains with his noisy self. How much could he make him forget? And how would his happiness sound? He wanted to hear it now, desperately. 

That afternoon Neji felt _peace_. And what a welcome new emotion it was.

**. . .**

_One night Neji had the most peculiar dream._

_He was staring at his own reflection, his gaze meeting his image on the mirror as he realized what was happening; there was no mark on his brow, nor was he wearing his usual headband with his village’s symbol. Instead, on top of his head rested a large crown, embellished with countless diamonds._

_He was King, and he ruled over everything his gifted eyes could see. Everyone around him bowed their heads in his presence, and for the first time there were no puppet strings attached to his limbs, no role he was meant to play, no purpose he needed to fulfill, nothing he was supposed to be, no family to serve or die for…he was just himself._

_He could do as he pleased, and no one could stop him, for he was King, and kings could do as they pleased: eat whatever dishes they desired, dress as they fancied and act as they wanted. He could even go play by the garden’s fountain and ruin his expensive clothes, drenching them in mud from rolling in the ground like he used to, a lifetime ago. Not that Neji wanted to do that anymore…he was grown after all; but he could, hypothetically speaking._

_He was King, so he ruled. For days, years, centuries, who knows for how long, this was his fantasy world after all, and he would take his time appreciating his new found freedom. A freedom he had never dared to wish for, afraid of being caught being delusional and punished, so not even in his dreams he had allowed to give into this longing he had long ago buried, not until now…_

_What had changed? And as soon as he had paused to wonder at the sudden thought, a messenger came, bringing news of a terrifying Beast breaking havoc in his kingdom. So Neji went to the source of destruction, walking with purpose against the mob of people that were fleeing the scene, their faces deformed by fear, until finally, he came face to face with the origin of this madness._

_It was Naruto._

_Of course it was Naruto; Neji couldn’t even pretend to be surprised at this point, who else could turn his world upside down like it was nothing? As if it was such a common thing to do, as natural to him as breathing._

_It was Naruto. But it wasn’t his Naruto. He was all wrong._

_Instead of the rich blue Neji had come to expect when looking directly into his eyes (the vast sky he had lost himself in a few times, wishing he could reach it), his pupil-less ones gazed into such an unfamiliar shade of red, deeper than blood and far more dangerous than any fire. But this wasn’t the first time he had seen them, Naruto had looked at him with those strange eyes before, in their fight, when for the first time Neji had felt like a weak prey against the most powerful predator._

_And those red eyes stared back at him, and despite their fiery color it felt like staring into the abyss. Something ancient and far larger than life stared directly at him, through him, inside of him. It looked at his bare soul and smiled; his grin nothing but teeth, and endless sea of white that could devour him in one go. When had Naruto’s teeth become so sharp? Just looking at the edges made him feel them, teeth upon teeth that could bite through anything, and that would chew his soul like it was nothing and spit it right back at him and-_

Neji abruptly woke up, feeling agitated and sweaty. Once he managed to get his heartbeat back to his usual rhythm, he made up his mind: he needed to talk with Naruto.

**. . .**

Naruto tells him about the nine tails beast that’s imprisoned in his body. About the seal on his stomach.

His own curse mark.

And now Neji knows. And he understands.

And perhaps most importantly, he still **cares**. 

Or maybe he cares even more than before.

He puts an arm around Naruto’s shoulders, the younger boy had been shaking the entire time, fear pouring out of him nonstop; he attempts a joke; the result falling flat on his face, his mouth is too tight as he waits for the rejection, the hate, his eyes won’t meet him. So Neji closes the distance between their faces, and staring into the pools of deep sky blue, he says this changes nothing.

And he means it.

**. . .**

This time around he notices a lot more of things about their village and the people than inhabit it, and if anyone would ask him, if he’s aware that Sakura is glaring back at some of them, making some improper gestures (she had become rather feisty these days, and due to her new training regime, a lot more powerful too) well, it wasn’t his business to interfere with what the civilian girl did. If he notices the way Kiba would bump into Naruto’s space and start the loudest argument he could come up with in under five seconds then he would just shake his head as he half-assedly complains about noisy people. If he thinks he saw someone getting attacked by a bug when the Aburame kid is around, surely that must have been a coincidence. And if he sees Sasuke squinting his eyes behind Naruto’s back, then he must have imagined the threat of pain in the dark eyes.

The protective aura around the blond only seemed to increase once his team unofficially joined their larger group, and if he observed Tenten picking up on it (on the other’s body language or his own?) then he was grateful for when the girl started casually taking out his shuriken on the streets to play with them, or would suddenly be filing a knife as they walked together. She was one of the best at multitasking after all.

“He’s your new friend Neji! We have to protect him! Besides, once you get past the first impression, he has this cute charm, in like, an annoying younger brother sort of way!” had been her statement, with Rock Lee behind her giving all his support, adding that “Naruto is my youthful and passionate friend and no danger would ever come to him as long as the Leaf’s handsome devil is around to stop it!”.

And Neji? Neji tried to understand the feeling he felt every time Shikamaru put his arm around Naruto’s shoulders, as if to shield him from the world, and Naruto would look at him as if Shikamaru had hanged every start in the sky and gave him one of his most special smiles, the one that was small and bashful and accompanied by a blush on his cheeks. And Shikamaru would blush too and look away, muttering about the whole thing being a drag. These eyes of his missed nothing after all.

He didn’t have a name for it, but he wanted to be the one to protect Naruto from this world’s hate. And he wanted…

He wanted to see that smile again.

**. . .**

“One day I’m going to be Hokage! And then I’ll change things!” Spent enough seconds around the vicinity of where Naruto Uzumaki was and you would hear these words. It used to drive him mad, this bold declaration, this false promise of change, of hope. Everyone who met Naruto thought the same thing: childish, thoughtless, careless, selfish, fool, and those were on the nicer side. He hadn’t really given much thought of why he was advised to stay away from him, who would want to be near him? He didn’t care for him; he had barely given any thought at all to his existence before the exams. And now he couldn’t imagine going on forward without him. Naruto understood him like no other had before, acknowledged his pain, his fight, his existence.

And yes, a part of him still doubted. A part of him was still scared to move forward, face the future head on like the other boy did. Fear of it all being too good to be true, fear of the challenges they would face, the unknown…and the eyes that followed them both.

But all those reasons didn’t matter anymore; he wanted to get closer to the boy.

He had once upon a time believed himself to be a caged bird, before this loud, revolutionary individual came, crashing down the walls that imprisoned him. Neji had then, dared to consider himself as a newly freed bird, soaring across the skies; but now, he realized that what he felt was more akin to the likes of a moth, blindly enamored with the flame that was N̶a̶r̶u̶t̶o his new dream.

Except Naruto shined far more brightly than any fire could ever be, attracting Neji like no other person had before; for once you’ve felt the warmth of the sunlight, no candle can even dare to compete. And I guess it didn’t really matter if Neji was a bird or a moth, free of choice or completely hypnotized, he had wings now, and he was flying, no longer trapped in the ground. And Naruto was warm, and he was the sun he orbited around, and Neji would gladly let himself get burned as long as he could get closer.

**Author's Note:**

> Well hello there, I watched Naruto with my best friend at the start of this pandemic and fell in love with it despite its flaws, and I jokingly claimed i’d write a fic for Naruto and his third boyfriend (Neji, first is Sasuke, second Gaara, fourth Shikamaru). And after finding very few online that satisfied me, I decided to fulfill that promise and write my own naruneji, with flowers and neji making friends besides naru! And 10k words later here we are. 
> 
> I’ve poured my soul and heart into this work, and haven't written anything near this extensive in years so I would love to hear your thoughts on it if you’ve made it to the end. Did you like it? Did you not? Let me know! The two other chapters will be coming in the following weeks. 
> 
> This fanfic is dedicated to K, who watched the entirety of Naruto with me and waited patiently all these months for me to finish. And to Mapi, my biggest fan since day one with the enormous privilege and curse of getting to read all of this first. Hope you two liked it best <3
> 
> Also some scenes in this chapter were inspired by the lovely work "Learning to see" by TJ_Dragonblade, y'all should give it a read.


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